Chapter 26

Nova ducked behind a truck in the parking lot and then peeked around the bumper of it. They were still coming toward her, three of them. She bit her lip, there had been four, where did they other one go?

When she told Bastian she was staying put, she’d forgotten about picking up her contact lenses this afternoon. She needed those. She’d been so careful, taking quiet streets to get there, ones that weren’t very busy with many pedestrians so she would have fair warning if any of the dark ones were nearby.

Checking again, she ducked down and hurried along between the parked cars. She paused when she saw a police car go down the street. No. Going to them would just lead to many questions she couldn’t answer. If she could get out of this lot without them seeing her, there was a bus stop on the far corner. Normally she didn’t like taking the bus, but today was an exception. Any means to put space between her and them was a good one.

When she was three cars from the street, the fourth man appeared in front of her. She squealed and tried to run back around the car. He grabbed her wrist to stop her. Panicking, she swung the cloth bag, aiming for his face. He grunted and swore, then released her. She took off running for the street. Fate knew what she was doing. Normally, Nova didn’t pause to window shop, but a pair of marble bookends had caught her eye, so she splurged and convinced herself she needed them in the library. If she was lucky, her unexpected purchase broke his nose.

It was crowded at the bus stop, and she hoped that would work in her favor. They couldn’t very well grab her in front of others, could they? She didn’t need to turn around to see if they were following her, she could hear the echo of them running on the sidewalk behind her.

When she was almost to the stop, she slowed and looked behind her, and ran right into someone. The man put her hand out to steady her. “Sorry.” She was breathing fast. “Didn’t want to miss it.” She glanced up at him and was relieved she couldn’t see any darkness or brightness around him.

The bus pulled up and she dug in her bag for some change. Slipping between two people who were also digging for change, she got on the bus and dropped her handful of change in the slot. She had no idea how much she’d put in, but she probably just paid enough for five people’s fare.

Moving to the back door, she briefly looked at the passengers to see if any of them had dark souls. None did. As the bus pulled away, she saw the three that had been chasing her standing on the sidewalk.

Her hand burned, and she looked down at it expecting to see a red mark from banging it against something in the parking lot. It was red, like a rash. Just her luck, the one that grabbed her was diseased or something. As the next stop got closer, she pulled the cord to signal the driver to stop.

The door wasn’t even fully open as she squeezed through it and jumped to the curb. She looked behind her and didn’t see them chasing the bus, but she wasn’t taking any chances. Across the street was a small park. She checked for cars and then ran toward it. She’d gone there once and sat there before her life had changed so much. If she remembered right, there was a huge statue of some sort there, she could hide behind it and watch if anyone was following her.

By the time she reached it, her hand and wrist felt like it was on fire. The irony wasn’t lost to her, she was hiding behind a statue of an angel. She certainly needed a guardian angel right now.

Resting against it, she looked out under the statue’s wing to see if they were behind her. She didn’t see anyone. Setting her bag down, she pushed up her sleeve. The rash was worse. Turning her hand over, she saw the outline of his fingerprints. What was going on?

Nova tried to settle her breathing, struggling to think past the pain. She was afraid to leave the shelter of the statue. Pulling the phone out of her pocket, she looked at it. She had debated not bringing it but hadn’t wanted to miss Bastian’s call—if he did call. At the time, she convinced herself she needed more answers and he had them. Now she was wondering if she’d been meant to bring it for this reason. She opened the contacts and looked at the list. Biting her lip, she hit the call symbol beside the top name. Ava. They had said to call if she needed them, this definitely qualified as that.

“Yeah.” That was how she answered.

“Ava? It’s Nova Gaines,” she whispered because she was afraid to look behind her again.

“Are you all right?”

“No. No, I am not. The dark-souled ones were chasing me. One of them grabbed my wrist and now it’s red and burning—and I’m afraid to try to go home.”

“Where are you?” She could hear other voices in the background.

“Uh.” She closed her eyes. Where am I? The bus turned on. She tried to picture the sign. “Buck Street. There’s a little park with an angel statue. I’m there.”

“Stay there. Stay out of sight, we’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Okay. Thank you.” She clutched the phone to her chest. Leaning down, she looked again and saw no one.

Going out today was a waste of money, she decided. She wouldn’t need the contacts now because she planned to never leave the house after this.

She didn’t know Bastian very well at all, but she did believe when he said he’d get answers and he wasn’t going to let anything happen to her. She wanted to rub her hand but was afraid that whatever was wrong with it, she’d spread it around further.

The sound of motorcycles had her turn and look under the wing. Ava came through the gate on a black one, and three others followed her. She didn’t know which women they were because they all wore helmets, unlike Ava.

Stopping beside the statue, Ava got off and came over to her. “Have you seen them since?”

Nova shook her head.

One of the other women came over and picked up her bag.

“I whacked the one that grabbed me in the face with that.”

The woman reached in and pulled out one of the bookends and held it up.

Ava grinned. “That had to hurt.”

Nova pulled up her sleeve and held out her arm. “What is this?”

Ava frowned and looked at it. She looked at one of the other women. Taking off the helmet, Nova recognized her. It was Flora.

She came over and looked at Nova’s hand. “Capri needs to see this.”

Ava nodded. “You guys cover our back.” She motioned to her bike. “Hop on, Nova.”

Nova tripped over her own feet getting there. “I’ve never been on a bike.”

“Hold onto me, don’t lean, and keep your feet on the pegs.” She bent down and popped out a short bar that Nova conclude was the foot peg.

One of the other women flipped up the visor on her helmet. “I’m going to look around and see if there’s anyone with a dent in their face hanging around.”

Ava grinned. “Call if you find them, Sparx. Her hand is some serious shit, and you don’t want that.”

Sparx lifted one hand and sparks moved between her fingers. “Built-in taser.” She flipped the visor down and revved up the bike then left.

Ava got on the bike and started it, then looked at Nova.

Blowing out a breath, she got on carefully behind her and leaned to see the peg to make sure she put her foot on it. Not sure how to hang on, she grasped the sides of Ava’s jacket.

Ava reached across her waist, grabbed her hand, and pulled it so it was around her waist and not just her side. As soon as Nova adjusted her hold on her, the bike started and was moving, and not slowly.

When they turned out onto the street, Nova looked to see the other two women were running level with the back wheel, one on either side. She may have enjoyed the ride if she wasn’t scared stiff and worried about her hand rotting off. She liked the way the wind felt in her face.

The trip home would have taken Nova two busses or an hour of walking, but on the back of Ava’s bike it felt like two minutes had gone by and then their garage was in sight.

Crystal and Jeri stood at the door watching them pull up. Ava turned hers off. “Go get Capri.”

Jeri didn’t question why just turned and jogged toward the stairs.

Nova getting off the bike wasn’t as graceful as she’d hoped to do it. She stumbled back a step and then looked at her hand. It was worse and she wasn’t feeling well, probably from the adrenaline or shock of what had almost happened. “I don’t feel well,” she whispered.

“Come and sit down.” Crystal motioned inside the garage door.

Nodding, Nova went inside the garage and sat on a small bench.

“What’s going on?” Capri was standing at the top of the steps.

“Those dark soul bastards were after her again,” Ava said. “Look at her hand where one of them touched her.”

Capri came down the steps with long strides and squatted down beside her. Lifting Nova’s hand gently, she turned it. “Did he have eyes with a purple or green hue?”

Nova shook her head and reached for her pendant with the other one, she just needed to feel it in her palm. When she touched it, she frowned, it felt rough. Holding it out, she gawked at it; there were cracks in it She glanced up at Crystal. “I’ve damaged it.”

Crystal moved closer and leaned down to look at it. “No, it did its job.” She exchanged a look with Carpi. “I have more sugilite, I’ll go prepare it.” She jogged up the stairs.

“Where’s Sparx?” Capri looked to Ava.

“She hung back to see if they were still lurking in the area.”

Blowing out a breath, Capri looked at Nova’s hand again, and then at the pendant. “Call the soul sucker, now.”

Ava scoffed. “I don’t have the soul watcher’s numbers in my phone.”

Nova reached into her pocket and held out her phone. “Bastian’s number is in here.”

Ava took the phone, then paused when the sound of a motorcycle came down the alley. Sparx was back, she shook her head. Ava tapped the screen.